Michigan football: What we learned, what to watch for

Brady Hoke watches Saturday’s 30-14 loss. Hoke’s Wolverines must begin beating second-tier teams, such as Utah and Minnesota, or the coach is liable to lose the confidence of program directors.(Photo: Tony Ding/Associated Press)

• BIG TEN BUST. Big Ten play is apparently not enough of a motivator as Michigan looked as flat against Minnesota as against Notre Dame and Utah. There were multiple external factors in play including the Little Brown Jug, conference play and the simple embarrassment suffered in the previous weeks. None of them were enough.

• MEDIOCRE MORRIS. Coach Brady Hoke promised there would be a quarterback competition and the better player would start. Shane Morris started but struggled massively, completing seven of 19 passes for 49 yards and no touchdowns. In one drive taking over for Morris, Devin Gardner nearly matched his numbers.

• DISAPPOINTING DEFENSE. Michigan's defense expected to be able to keep the Wolverines in a game regardless of the offensive woes. Neither of the major-conference games were enough and allowing 373 yards to Minnesota's average offense and not forcing a turnover were regression.

Up next for U-M: Rutgers

Matchup: U-M (2-3, 0-1 Big Ten) at Rutgers (4-1, 0-1).

When: 7 p.m. Saturday.

Where: High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, N.J..

TV: BTN.

Line: TBA.

Know the foe: Rutgers lost its best tailback, Paul James, to an anterior cruciate ligament tear before last week's game, but Rutgers tailbacks still rushed for 171 yards in a 31-6 victory over Tulane. With quarterback Gary Nova eager to pass — throwing four touchdowns against the Green Wave, including a 93-yarder — this is a balanced offense and improving defense.

Three things to watch

• QB QUANDARY: U-M coach Brady Hoke said the quarterback competition will continue between Devin Gardner and Shane Morris, but it's tough to see how Morris can play in a night road game at Rutgers after his massive struggles at home against Minnesota. Hoke can extend it like last week, but there is no more mystery. Two more turnovers keeps the Wolverines at the bottom nationally in both margin and giveaways.

• FRONT FRUSTRATION: The other major change, switching the offensive guards by moving Graham Glasgow to left guard and Kyle Kalis to right guard, didn't do much for the offense either. Though the line only allowed one sack, the ground game did very little. The tailbacks combined to rush for 73 yards with only De'Veon Smith's one series, with all 47 yards, getting them anywhere.

• HOKE'S HANDLING: As this season slides further into the abyss, how will Hoke handle it? Will he begin making radical personnel and scheme changes every week trying to find a magic elixir? Or will he try to stick with a group and refine the details that have derailed the offense and defense?